Buoyant propulsion means

ABSTRACT

A FLOTATION PROPULSION DEVICE, ADAPTED TO BE USED BY AN OPERATOR SUCH AS A HUMAN BEING, CONSTRUCTED OF A BUOYANT MATERIAL AND HAVING A FOOT PLATFORM POSITIONED SO THAT THE HEEL OF THE OPERATOR WILL BE BEHIND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE DEVICE, WHEREBY WHEN THE OPERATOR BEARS DOWN ON THE FOOT PLATFORM, THE DEVICE WILL DISPLACE GREATER VOLUME IN A LIQUID SUCH AS WATER, AND WHEN THE WEIGHT OF THE OPERATOR IS LESSENED, THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE DEVICE AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WILL RISE MORE QUICKLY THAN THE REAR PORTION OF THE DEVICE CAUSING IT TO MOVE FORWARD.

' S ept. 21,197] g, LA RQCCA ETAL 3,606,624

BUOYANT PROPULSION MEANS Filed June 25, 1969 INVENTOR.

CLEMENT LA ROCCA y BERNARD SCHWARTZ A TTORNE X United States Patent 01 fice 3,606,624 BUOYANT PROPULSION MEANS Clement La Rocca, 15324 Sanford Ave., Flushing, N.Y. 11358, and Bernard Schwartz, Argyle Road, Bethpage, NY. 11714 Filed June 25, 1969, Ser. No. 836,494 Int. Cl. A63c /00 US. Cl. 9310D 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flotation propulsion device, adapted to be used by an operator such as a human being, constructed of a buoyant material and having a foot platform positioned so that the heel of the operator will be behind the center of gravity of the device, whereby when the operator bears down on the foot platform, the device will displace greater volume in a liquid such as water, and when the weight of the operator is lessened, the forward portion of the device and the center of gravity will rise more quickly than the rear portion of the device causing it to move forward.

This invention is concerned with self-propelled flotation devices designed primarily to aiford sufficient flotation to permit a human being to stand upright on the surface of a liquid such as water.

It is an object of this invention to provide such a device or system of devices which will not only permit a human being to stand upright (in flotation) on the surface of the water, but also to provide such a device which can be self propelled by the human being as he shifts his weight to cause the device to become intermittently of greater and lesser displacement whereby a shift of weight to make the device heavier will increase its displacement and a shift of weight to make the device lighter will reduce its displacement causing it to become more buoyant and to move in the liquid.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a flotation device or a system of such flotation devices in which the movement of the device through the water caused by the buoyancy of the device upon release of weight or pressure will be in a controlled direction, preferably in a forward direction, so that where a human being normally is provided with a pair of devices and alternately shifts his weight from one foot to the other, the resultant periods of greater buoyancy on each of the devices will provide continuous movement in a forward direction.

These objects are accomplished by the construction and operation of the preferred form of the invention as described herein aud as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation with parts cut away and parts in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a top plan;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation with parts cut away and parts in phantom; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Inasmuch as the device may be subjected to rough usage and should efficiently float at least one human being of considerable weight, we prefer to construct it of a rigid, extremely low density, buoyant material. We have found that material such as expandable polystyrene and polyurethane foam are well suited to the construction of the device. The device may also be made of cork, balsa wood or any other construction such as metal or plastic 3,606,624 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 confining a flotation space such as an air space, or any other suitable construction. The principal requirements are flotation and positioning of the foot operating means with relation to the center of gravity of the device. It may also be important to provide a curved bottom for the hull as set forth hereinbelow.

The hull or body portion 10 is provided with bow means 12, stern means 14, a top or deck portion 16, starboard side 18, port side 20, and a bottom 22. The material of the hull, or the flotation means of the hull, is so proportioned that the center of gravity designated at the X mark by reference numeral 24 is at a medial portion of the device between the bow means 12 and the stern means 14. The position of the center of gravity 24 is determined by the shape of the liquid displaced by the hull or body portion 10.

We also provide the hull 10 with a foot operating means 26 which is provided with a platform 28 on which the sole 30 of the foot of the operator is adapted to be accommodated or placed. It is important to the operation of the invention that the weight of the operator 32 be brought to bear on each hull 10 of the invention in a downward direction aft of the center of gravity at a point between the center of gravity 24 and the stern means 14. We have found that we can roughly judge the positioning of this downward force by reference to the heel 34 of the operator 32. The platform 28 is positioned so that the heel of the operator will normally be behind or aft of the center of gravity 24. We have found that this is a principal factor in causing a forward or bow-ward propulsion as will be explained hereinbelow. We have also found that if platform 28 is somewhat below the center of gravity 24, the device will have greater stability.

As a safety feature of the device, we have provided a construction in which the foot sole 30 of the operator 32 can be maintained in position in the device and exert a control on the device without straps or bindings. In case of upset, since there are no straps or bindings, the feet of the operator will not be bound to the device; they will slip out, and he will fall clear in a position to swim to safety. In order to exert control without binding, we have provided a wall construction 36 around the recessed platform 28 where the substantially vertical walls or wall portions of the wall construction 36 are controlled by proximity to the feet 38 and legs 40 of the operator 32. For example, the wall or wall portion 42 at the stern end of foot operating means 26 will surround the heel 34 and lower portion of leg 40. The operator 32 by leaning his leg in one direction or another will contact this wall portion to provide a medium of direction to the hull 10. In addition, the side walls or side wall portions 44 and 46, which are adjacent the forward portion of the operators foot 38, when placed in the foot operating means 26, provide bearing surfaces for the sides of the operators foot so that he may twist his foot from left to right and this will provide a medium of guidance for the hull or hulls 10. It is by this means that the operator is enabled to change direction by turning, twisting and leaning with his body during the operation of the device as will be more fully explained herein.

Another feature which provides for the forward or bowward locomotion of the system which may comprise a pair of hulls 10, one for the right foot and one for the left foot, is the curve 48 at the bottom rear of the device. The curve 48 starts at or about the position of the center of gravity 24 (this is indicated by arrow 50). Curve 48 extends rearwardly and upwardly from arrow 50 toward the stern portion 14. In the construction of the device as shown in the drawings, as a result of the 3 curve 48 the depth of the device is reduced from a medial position toward the stern. It is understood that in this sense, the depth means the distance from the deck or top 16 to the bottom 22.

In normal operaion, an operator 32 is provided with a pair of buoyant propulsion means 10. He places his right foot in a first of said means and his left foot in a second of said means. By alternately shifting his weight from left to right, then back again to left, then back to right and so on, he causes first one and then the other of the hulls to be alternately submerged creating greater displacement. As he relieves a hull 10 of the greatest substance of his weight by shifting it to the other hull, the relief from the downward pressure of his weight permits such hull to buoyantly move upward. Because of the construction of the device as aforesaid, the hull will not only move upward to a less submerged position, but it will also move in a forward or bow-ward direction. This is because the portion of the device forward of the heel 34 of the operator 32 is more buoyant than the portion of the device aft of the operators heel, and we believe that the portion with the greater buoyancy will move upward faster which may impart a vacuum underneath the forward portion of the device causing it to move forward into the vacuum. We have found that a device with a curve such as curve 48 will operate better and move forward more surely and faster than a device without such a curve. Thus, the alternate shifting of the operators weight to provide intermittent downward forces as described serves to self propel or operate the hull or hulls 10 of the device. During such operation, the shifting of the operators feet and legs by means of twisting or hearing against selected portions of the wall 36 around the foot operating means 26 will serve to point the bow portion or portions of the hull or hulls in a different direction, and the forward movement will tend to be in the direction where the bow portion 12 is pointing at the time that the force of buoyancy is exerted. Thus, a shift in the direction of the hulls 10 will cause the propulsion to change direction at the will or desire of the operator 32.

We have found that propulsion is created in a device construction as described by the waddling type of walking motion set forth in which the operator transfers his weight intermittently from one hull to the other. A change in the downward force applied to a hull 10 will result in this action. When the downward force is relieved, the hull 10 will buoy up in the direction of the surface 56 of the water 58 until it reaches almost the top of its buoyant phase as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, resulting in the upward and bow-ward movement indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4. The hull, after reaching the top of its buoyant phase, will again drop until it reaches an equilibrium of flotation and will again be in positon for the downward thrust of the operator to start the next cycle of operation.

While some explanation of the physical principles behind the operation of the invention has been made hereinabove, it has been observed that the device and system operate as described. The description of principle has been made in an attempt to explain the operation of the device. However, the inventors do not rely on the application of any particular physical principle of operation, but do rely on their particular construction and the results observed in claiming the invention herein.

Wherefore, we claim:

1. A buoyant propulsion means adapted to be self-propelled over a liquid surface by intermittent downward thrusts of an operator: comprising a main body portion of normally buoyant material including bow means and stern means, a center of gravity medially along a longitudinal dimension between said bow and stern means, and foot operating means adapted to accommodate at least one operator foot, said foot operating means being positioned so that the force transmitted by an operating foot will be brought to bear on the main body portion between 4 the center of gravity and the stern means; said normally buoyant material being distributed in the main body portion to provide greater buoyancy in that portion of the main body portion bow-ward of the foot operating means than that portion of the main body portion stern-ward of the foot operating means.

2. The buoyant propulsion means as defined in claim 1, in which the foot operating means is in the form of a recessed platform.

3. A buoyant self-propelled propulsion system for at least one human being or the like comprising a pair of buoyant propulsion means as defined in claim 1, and in which the right foot of at least one Operator is adapted to be positioned on the foot operating means of one of said pair of buoyant propulsion means, and the left foot of at least one operator is adapted to be positioned on the foot operating means of the second of said pair of buoyant propulsion means; whereby when the weight of the operator is placed on a first foot, a downward force is applied tending to submerge the first mentioned buoyant propulsion means, and when the weight of the operator is intermittently shifted to a second foot, a second downward force is applied to the second mentioned buoyant propulsion means while relieving the submerging force on the first mentioned propulsion means permitting said first mentioned propulsion means to buoy in an upward, bowward direction.

4. The buoyant propulsion means as described in claim 1, in which the main body portion is a hull which is reduced in depth from a medial position toward the said stern means, said reduction in depth comprising a curve along the bottom surface of said hull from said medial position toward said stern means.

5. A buoyant self-propelled propulsion system for at least one human being or the like comprising a pair of buoyant propulsion means as defined in claim 4, and in which the right foot of at least one operator is adapted to be positioned on the foot operating means of one Of said pair of buoyant propulsion means, and the left foot of at least one operator is adapted to be positioned on the foot operating means of the second of said pair of buoyant propulsion means; whereby when the weight of the operator is placed on a first foot, a downward force is applied tending to submerge the first mentioned buoyant propulsion means, and when the weight of the operator is intermittently shifted to a second foot, a second downward force is applied to the second mentioned buoyant propulsion means while relieving the submerging force on the first mentioned propulsion means permitting said first mentioned propulsion means to buoy in an upward, bow-ward direction.

6. The propulsion system as defined in claim 4, in which the foot operating means of each buoyant propulsion means is in the form of a recessed platform.

7. A buoyant propulsion means as defined in claim 1, adapted to be propelled over a liquid surface by intermittent downward thrusts of the feet of a human operator: comprising a hull of normally buoyant material including a bow and a stern, with a center of gravity along said longitudinal dimension between said bow and stern, and foot operating means adapted to accommodate at least one operator foot, said foot operating means comprising a recessed platform adapted to receive the sole of the operators foot and having at least one normally vertical wall adapted to selectively abut an operator foot and at least a lower portion of an operator leg, said foot operating means being positioned so that the heel of the operators foot is between the said center of gravity and the stern; in which the hull is reduced in depth from a medial position of the hull toward the said stern, said reduction in depth being in the form of a curve along the bottom surface of the hull from said medial position toward said stern means.

8. A buoyant self-propelled propulsion system for at least one human being comprising a pair of bulls as de- 5 6 fined in claim 7, whereby when a human being places his FOREIGN PATENTS feet on the recessed platforms of the said foot operating D 28 858 1/1925 France means and shifts his weight from side to side, the respec- 0225 18 12/1952 France 9 310 tive hulls will be alternately increased and decreased in 1059558 11/1953 France 9 310 dis lacement resultin in a bow-ward motion of the enn g 5 6666 1351322 66 6:26 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner 1,719,059 7/1929 Krupka et a1. 9310 P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner 3,108,296 10/1963 Smith 93l0 10 3,254,622 6/1966 Bramson 9---310X 

